Governors

Governing board – what do our governors do?

Governors work with senior leaders in the strategic development of the school and in raising standards of achievement. Duties include setting the school’s vision, aims & objectives, approving the school budget and appointing the headteacher. Governors must both support and challenge the headteacher; consequently, they need to gain an understanding of the school’s overall performance in order to explain its decisions and actions. They do this by attending regular meetings, carrying out school visits and meeting with senior leaders. They also attend training in order to keep up to date with the requirements of their role. Governors work as a team and make collective decisions.

Your school needs you

We currently have several vacancies for governors. If you are interested in becoming a school governor, please contact Ruth Ali, our clerk to the governors: ruthali@stmarks.brighton-hove.sch.uk

Structure of the governing board

Ian Keating is Chair of Governors. The full governing board (FGB) meets 9 times a year. At these meetings, it carries out its three core functions as identified by the Department for Education in the Governors' Handbook:

ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff

overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure money is well spent.

Minutes of FGB meetings are published on the school's website after approval by the governing board. The FGB adheres to the Brighton and Hove Code of Conduct for Governing Boards. Associate members do not have voting rights but are welcome to attend meetings.

The school also has a governors' resources committee. Minutes of these meetings are published on the website after approval at the following resources committee meeting.